Calif. Court Nixes Challenge To $120M Car-Charging Deal

Law360, New York (October 15, 2012, 5:59 PM EDT) -- A California appeals court on Friday shut down a suit alleging NRG Energy Inc. would gain an unfair monopoly on installing electric vehicle charging stations throughout the state under a $120 million settlement with government regulators stemming from California's electricity crisis of 2000 to 2001.

The appeals court denied ECOtality Inc.’s petition for writ of mandate challenging the settlement between NRG and the California Public Utilities Commission. ECOtality brought suit in May seeking to block execution of the terms of that settlement, arguing that the deal...